Kenyon PK gives Notre Dame Div. 2 South title

Such was the case for Notre Dame’s Gabby Kenyon late in the second half of a scoreless Division 2 South sectional final against top-seeded Scituate.

NDA’s senior captain had seen several quality scoring chances go by the board throughout the game’s opening 37 minutes. But with time winding down in regulation, Kenyon broke free of the Sailors’ defense, and with nothing but open space between her and goalie Meghan James, advanced the ball into the box only to be taken down from behind, setting the stage for a potential game-winning penalty kick for the second-seeded Cougars.

Kenyon took a step back, regained her composure and then calmly buried her shot into the right corner, lifting Notre Dame (20-2) to a thrilling 1-0 victory.

“I had a few chances and couldn’t put them away, which was frustrating,” said Kenyon, “but then going in on the breakaway and once they fouled me for the PK, I knew I had it. I love penalty kicks and I always put them in. I just let the crowd go away and I put it in the corner.”

Notre Dame will play Wilmington on Thursday at Lynn (5 p.m.). There are no Central or Western teams in Division 2, so that matchup will determine the state championship.

Kenyon’s goal broke open what had been an evenly played game up until that point.

Following a scoreless first half, the Sailors took control to start the final 40 minutes, and with just three minutes gone in the second half, Scituate had a golden opportunity to take the lead after drawing a foul inside the Cougars’ box. But NDA goalie Maggie Elliott guessed right on a quality penalty kick attempt from Erika Badger to preserve the scoreless tie.

“I thought we were the better team in the second half,” said Scituate coach Rob Williams, whose team finished at 18-2-2. “They made their penalty kick and we didn’t, but that happens.”

After the missed PK, the Sailors continued to pressure Elliott, but the Cougars junior goalie, along with solid defense from Elissa Dukeshire and Parker DiNatale, kept Scituate at bay long enough to set up Kenyon for the game-winner.

“I said to the girls before this game that I never felt more in my heart that we have a great team,” said NDA coach Liz Mustafoski. “I couldn’t be prouder of the girls.”